Dr. Ben Carson, who retires from surgery at the end of this week, reflects on the challenges of his childhood with WBAL's John Patti Download This File

For more than 17 years,students in Maryland and all throughout the country have been able to receive scholarships through the Carson Scholars Fund. (Photo taken by WBAL's Ashley Michelle Williams)

On the eve of the 61-year-old Baltimore County resident's retirement, WBALÆs John Patti talks with the neurosurgeon about his life. (Photo taken by WBAL's Ashley Michelle Williams)

Dr. Carson said he faced a lot of challenges as a child, especially when it came to doing well in the classroom. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Ben Carson)

Dr. Ben Carson explains to WBAL's John Patti how he has given and plans to continue giving the gift of education to thousands of bright students throughout the country. Download This File

Dr. Carson said his mother was the only one to truly believe in him and what he could become. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Ben Carson)

In Part 4 of Dr. Ben Carson: Beyond The Scrubs, WBAL's John Patti introduces you to some of the Carson Scholars who Dr. Carson hopes will shape the future of this country Download This File

In Part 5 of Dr. Ben Carson: Beyond The Scrubs, WBAL's John Patti asks Dr. Carson whether he would consider running for President of the United States. Download This File

It began as a typical day at the Carson Scholars Fund located in Towson.But by mid-afternoon, it all changed.

One by one, Carson Scholars came into the fund's headquarters for the chance to thank world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson for not only creating the scholarship fund, but for also inspiring them to use their lives to change the world.

ôHeÆs actually operated on me twice,ö she said. ôSo, it was really cool when I got to be a Carson Scholar because I wasnÆt seeing him at a doctorÆs appointment," he said. "I was seeing him in a really cool setting that was recognizing something. And it kind of made me out to be somebody that was smart and was more than just that girl who had a brain surgery."

And she wasnÆt the only scholar who expressed this gratitude to Dr. Ben Carson.

Eighth grader Eric Raley did so as well.

ôIÆve always looked up to you, honestly through my life," Raley told Dr. Carson. "And you showed me what it was like to fight through something and be somethingà Thank you very much because you are a great and huge inspiration to meàö

Dr. Carson thanked the scholars for their kinds words and emphasized that he hopes the Carson Scholars Fund can help and inspire even more students to use their lives to change the world.

ôWe started 17 years ago, giving out 25 scholarships, one for each county in Maryland. And now, we are active in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. But weÆll continue to spread it, because these young people are our future.ö

Since the Baltimore County resident will soon retire, he said he plans to get even more involved with the scholarship fund.

More than 100 days ago, Dr. Carson, Hopkins' longtime director of pediatric neurosurgery, made a speech in which he announced his retirement at the Conservative Political Action Conference: "I'd much rather quit when I'm at the top of my game. And there's so many more things that can be done."

After doing more than 17 thousand operations, Dr. Carson said he planned to retire at the age of 61 after he found out from someone that most neurosurgeons had died early.

"I didn't believe it," Dr. Carson said. "So I wrote down the names of the ten last neurosurgeons I knew who died, and I calculated the average age of death... and it was 61. And I'm 61 now. And I said, 'You know what? I don't want to die in the saddle.' "

Interestingly, Dr. Carson said his career as a pediatric neurosurgeon almost didn't happen. He said he faced many challenges as a child, especially when it came to doing well in the classroom.

ôI was a terrible student,ö he said. ôI thought I was stupid. Everybody else thought I was stupid, so there was a unanimous agreement. But my mother didnÆt think I was stupid."

He said his mother truly believed in him and what he could become. She encouraged him to not only start believing in himself more, but to also educate himself more by reading and writing many book reports.

ôI was not happy [about that],ö he said. ôBut after a few weeks, something strange began to happenà as I started reading them, I started knowing things that nobody else knew.ö

He said it was this passion for education that led him and his wife to create the Carson Scholars Fund.